WPCNR White Plains Voice. By J. Matero. May 16, 2004: A White Plains citizen who visits the Renaissance Plaza Fountain writes  CitizeNetReporter about what they perceive as an unsafe situation at the city's meeting and greeting place at Mamaroneck and Main. They claim children are playing in the fountain, citizens are having water fights, and just unsafe shenanigans are being permitted. Here is their report:

RENAISSANCE PLAZA, 8 A.M. From Starbucks Photo by WPCNR News.

What has happened to our beautiful new fountain?  I was skeptical when I first learned of plans to create a fountain that "danced to music" near City Center last year. Honestly, I felt it was a "Gimmick".  However, when it finally opened, it became clear that it would soon become one of my favorite places to visit when I venture downtown.  I really love the idea of sitting there, listening to music and watching the water dance.

HOWEVER... things have changed.  First of all... no matter when I an in the new plaza... any day... any time.... the fountains are surrounded by unattended children who climb up the sides, splash water and run on the ledges surrounding each body of water.  In fact, it has become impossible to walk from Starbucks to City Center without being spashed by people throwing water around like they are at a Fun Park.

I went down there Sunday night with a friend and watched as two ADULTS had a water fight... they were at opposing fountains splashing water at each other... then finally drenching both me and my guest.  We yelled at the two responsible but they did not understand English and just laughed at us. We looked at each other and then at the fountains and it looked like the site of an open fire hydrant in the city. Plain and simple.

I have been at the fountain now 3 weekends in a row and EVERY TIME there are unattended children leaning into the fountains prying the stones (which are glued in) off the bottom... and as was the case this morning... THROWING THEM back into the fountain or at eachother.  Last weekend I watched as kids pulled submerged stones up and tossed them into the fountain nozzels causing water to shoot sideways onto the plaza drenching people.  Just walk around every body of water there and you''ll see most stones missing from the fountains and it looks terrible.

Meanwhile, while all of this is going on, I watched as three "Park Rangers" (at least that is what they look like...) either ignored it, hung out in Starbucks or talked on cell phones.

Finally, I do not know who maintains the fountains but there are a number of nozzels... more each week... that are either shooting at an angle, firing with a weak stream or just not firing at all..... and the music at times cannot be heard as the sound goes up and down.

Personally, I think they should erect a simple foot-high fence on the outter fountain walls to keep hands out of there.  If for nothing else, I defy anyone to hang out there on the weekend and not see kids running along the WET walls... somebody is going to fall and break their neck.

I think the fountains are beautiful but something has to be done about the kids (and in some cases ADULTS) splashing, people runing along the walls of the fountain  base and finally making sure the device is working correctly. This should be a place where people can come and enjoy the fountains... not a place where all you hear are people grumbling under their breath about how they do not want to get close for fear of being splashed or slipping on the ground made wet by hands being where they should not be. What can we do about this?

J Matero